Waynesboro couple stop domestic dispute

WAYNESBORO – Augusta County sheriff's deputies arrested a Verona man and charged him with assaulting a Waynesboro couple last week.

Christopher Alan Wolke, 30, has been charged with two counts of felonious assault on a man and woman who tried to intercede in a domestic dispute between Wolke and his wife at the nTelos store on West Main Street. Wolke also faces a felony charge of grand larceny and a misdemeanor charge of destruction of property stemming from the incident.

At about 6:40 p.m. July 10, Waynesboro Police Department responded to a report of a physical altercation in the store's parking lot. When officers arrived, they found a 53-year-old man and his 42-year-old girlfriend with multiple injuries.

According to the victims, they were at the store to pay a bill when they noticed Wolke standing outside yelling and beating on a vehicle with a woman and small child inside, police said. Officers determined that these individuals were Wolke's estranged wife and 2-year-old son.

The female victim approached Wolke and told him to stop and he struck the woman as she tried to turn away, knocking her down, police said.

The male victim then reportedly hit Wolke to protect his girlfriend. But Wolke retrieved something from his vehicle, and the male victim fearing it was a weapon, tried to flee but Wolke tackled him, according to police. When the female victim tried to help her boyfriend and she was cut on the neck with a knife by Wolke, who also kicked the male victim in the nose which left him dazed, police said. Wolke reportedly took the female victim's purse, stole some jewelry from it and smashed her phone on the ground, police said. When store employees came outside, Wolke fled in his vehicle.

Wolke's wife was able to leave the scene during the fight. The victims refused treatment at the scene.

Eventually, officers were able to track down Wolke at a family member's residence in Augusta County after the victims provided police with the license plate information. Augusta County sheriff's deputies arrested Wolke on Tuesday. He is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail.

The Waynesboro Police Department said that when bystanders witness something illegal and potentially violent, they should notify law enforcement first, if able, before attempting to intervene. However, police credit the couple for likely saving Wolke's wife from being assaulted or worse.